Reports, proud muckraking, photos, videos and musings from the veteran LGBT and AIDS human rights advocate Michael Petrelis. Based in San Francisco since 1995.
Contact: MPetrelis_at_AOL_dot_com.
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Saturday, April 06, 2013

Mark Leno's SCOTUS Trip Cost Taxpayers How Much?

I have more information to share about another California politician who traveled to Washington last week to attend the Supreme Court hearing on Prop 8 gay marriage hearing. Click here to read yesterday's post about lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom's office disclosing his trip to the hearing cost taxpayer's $1,200.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi gave a ticket to Newsom that gained him entry to the hearing, and another of her tickets went to out state Sen. Mark Leno. I emailed his office asking the same questions of him that I posed to Newsom. Did the taxpayers fund your trip and did any staffers accompany you?

As with Newsom, Leno's staff responded in less than 24-hours with details. Here's what Leno's press secretary Ali Bay said:

No government funds were used to finance
Senator Leno’s trip to Washington D.C. for the Prop. 8 oral arguments.
In addition, no staff members accompanied him on the trip.

I'm happy to report that Leno's trip was paid for by himself and that he didn't stick the bill to the public.

1 comment:

I spoke to Gavin Newsom on the steps of SCOTUS. I was happy to see him there. He got a lot of attention by the media when they saw him standing there and he was able to deliver very important answers to questions - I overheard the NPR interview he gave as I stood next to him. I feel that he was an integral part of our quest for marital equality and that his presence there as an official of the State of California who was well informed to provide media answers was well paid for. By the way my trip to DC cost a lot more than $1200 - I imagine he might have funded some of it himself. However as always I thank Petrelis my friend for keeping everyone on their toes.